BASIC INFORMATION
Full Country Name: The Republic of Benin
Country Profile: Benin
Area: 112,622 sq kms
Population: 8.4 million (2005 United Nations estimate)
Capital City: Porto-Novo (population 237,000)), is the official capital,
but nearby Cotonou is the country’s largest city.
People: Fon and Adja Yoruba and 40 other ethnic groups
Languages: French (official), Fon, Yoruba, and other African languages are
spoken
Religion: Indigenous beliefs, Christian and Muslim
Currency: Franc CFA
Major political parties: Parti Sociale Democrate (PSD), Renaissance du
Benin (RB), Parti du Renouveau democratique (PRD), Mouvement africain pour la democratie et
le progres (MADEP), Force Cowrie for an Emerging Benin (FCBE)
Head of State: Dr Boni Yayi
Foreign Minister: Moussa Okania
Membership of international organisations: United Nations (UN), African
Union (AU), Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Union Economique et
Monetaire ouest - africaine (UEMOA), Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC)
GEOGRAPHY
Benin is a long, narrow country in West Africa, with a coastline of some 100 kms on the
Gulf of Guinea and extending inland about 650 kms northwards to the Niger River. The north
is dry and arid while the south has tropical vegetation. It is bordered by Nigeria to the
east, by Togo to the west and by Burkina Faso and Niger to the north.
HISTORY
In 1472 the Portuguese were the first Europeans to visit the country. The hinterland was
developed as a source of slaves. By 1700, some 20,000 slaves were being exported annually.
After long resisting attempts at colonisation, the south became a French protectorate in
1893 while the north was added incrementally between 1895 and 1898. In 1904, present day
Benin, then known as Dahomey, became part of the French West African Federation. Dahomey
played a key role in the administration of the region, providing educated staff to other
parts of the French African empire. It became independent on 1 August 1960.
After independence, civilian government did not survive for long. A power struggle
developed between the three traditional centres of authority – Abomey in the south-west,
Porto Novo in the south-east and Bariba in the north-east. The early years of independence
were marked by a series of military coups between 1963 and 1970. A short-lived experiment
from 1970 to 1972 with a rotating civilian Presidency, each President representing the three
traditional power centres, was cut short in October 1972 when the military, led by Major
Mathieu Kerekou, took over again. The triumvirate were jailed and later exiled.
Major Kerekou immediately declared Dahomey a Marxist-Leninist state. The country was
renamed the Peoples Republic of Benin. Banks and other institutions were nationalised, and a
single ruling party, the Parti de la Revolution Populaire du Benin, (PRPB) was established.
Thus began 17 years of one-party rule and military dictatorship.
POLITICS
Against the background of growing popular discontent and two coup attempts in 1988,
Kerekou finally conceded to allow a Sovereign National Conference in 1989. This drew up a
new constitution, adopted in December 1990. It provided for a return to multi-partyism and a
qualified Executive Presidency, with a tenure limit of two terms of five years each, and
for an upper age limit of 70 years for the President. It also provided for a 64-member
(later increased to 83) National Assembly whose members must be civilians, and who are
elected for four year terms renewable. The legislature was given the power to call Cabinet
Ministers and the President himself to account if necessary. The President does not have the
power to dissolve parliament. Constitutional amendments require the support of three-
quarters of all deputies and a referendum or the support of four-fifths of all deputies.
The first Presidential and legislative elections held under the new constitution took
place in 1991. 24 political parties took part, and 13 contested the Presidential election.
Nicophore Soglo, beat his nearest rival, Mathieu Kerekou, with 67.7% of the vote. In March
1996, Kerekou re-emerged and won the Presidential election. He was re-elected five years
later, in 2001, amid claims of fraud by the opposition. In the subsequent legislative
elections of 2003, the pro-Kerekou coalition of parties won 63 of the 83 seats, of which the
President's own party, the UBF won 31. This left the opposition with a mere 20 seats.
In 2005 Kerekou announced that he would not attempt to change the constitution in order
to stand for a further presidential term of office. In the Presidential elections which took
place on 5 March 2006 the independent candidate and former long serving head of the West
African Investment Bank, Yayi Boni, unexpectedly won the highest vote (35.8%). The
favourite, Adrien Houngbedji, won 24.2%. In the second round run off between Boni and
Houngbedji, Boni, enjoying support of nearly all the other candidates, won easily with 74.6%
of the vote. Parliamentary elections, held in March 2007, gave a majority for the Coaliation
Force Cowrie for an Emerging Benin (FCBE), which supports President Boni. Boni has made
some very public moves against corruption, including lifting the parliamentary immunity from
prosecution for two parliamentarians of the ruling FCBE in July 2007. Local elections are
due in February 2008.
HUMAN RIGHTS
Since the return to multi-party democracy in 1991, the human rights record of Benin has
improved. There is a proliferation of political parties, there is a vibrant independent
press, the trades unions are a powerful force and civil society is flourishing. There are
some 5000 local NGOs, including human rights groups, in operation, all operating freely
without government interference. In spite of the existence of anti-corruption bodies and
mechanisms, corruption remains a key problem.
Annual Human Rights Reports
ECONOMY
Basic Economic Facts
GDP: US$ 4.7bn (2006 est)
Annual growth: 3.8% (2006 est)
Inflation: 3.8% (2006 est)
Major industries: cotton, other agricultural and services
Major trading partners: for exports - India, China, South East Asian
countries, Ghana and Niger; for imports, France, China
Exchange rate: Euro 1 = 655.957 FCFA (pegged)
Benin's economy is based on agriculture and services. Cotton is the main commercial crop.
It accounts for around a seventh of exports by value. Its value however fluctuates with
world prices which are volatile, and it faces competition from subsidised cotton growers in
the USA and elsewhere. The other mainstay of the economy is re-export trade with
neighbouring countries, particularly Nigeria. Much of this is unrecorded and some estimate
that this trade represents over 30% of GDP. It is estimated that 75% of imports into Cotonou
port are destined for Nigeria. Benin has suffered at various times when Nigeria has
tightened its import rules partly to stop the thriving smuggling of goods from Benin. The
government relies on customs receipts for about half of its income. Nigerian trade policy is
critical to the health of the economy. A plan for the privatisation programme for the Cotton
parastatal, the telecoms and public utility sectors and the port of Cotonou was presented by
the government in July 2007. The privatisation of the cotton parastatal has become mired in
problems leading the government to halt the process in late 2007.
Offshore oil exploration has started in a field near the border with Nigeria but it is
not yet known if it contains exploitable reserves. As in other West African countries, the
relatively fast growth of recent years is being held back by problems of power supply.
However, Benin will benefit from the completion of the West Africa Gas Pipeline, which was
scheduled to begin actual operation at the end of December 2007 and will bring gas from
Nigeria to Benin (and to Ghana and Togo). At present about 70% of petrol consumed in Benin
is smuggled from Nigeria, making supply irregular with frequent fuel shortages. Benin
reached completion point under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative in
March 2003, benefiting from around US$ 460 million in debt relief. A new Poverty Reduction
and Growth Facility (PRGF) was approved in August 2005.
Development
Benin's development has been held back by frequent military intervention in government.
In 2005, Benin is ranked 163 out of 177 countries on the 2006 UNDP's Human development
index. Although Benin has a sizeable educated elite, access to education for the majority
is poor. In 2004 the adult literacy rate was only 54%. There has been a lack of investment
in both education and healthcare over the years. The spread of AIDS, still low compared to
other African countries, is expected to lower the health indicators further. Life expectancy
has dropped as a result. However, social spending should rise under the new PRGF. Benin
relies heavily on external assistance, including on IMF funds. France has always been and
remains the principal bilateral donor.
INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
Benin's proximity to Nigeria and its vital re-export trade to that country dominates its
international relations. A Joint Nigeria-Benin Committee on Commerce was inaugurated in May
2005 to try to regulate the trade. Five Beninese companies were authorised to export their
products to Nigeria following Nigeria's decision to lift an earlier import ban on textiles,
cottonseed, palm and vegetable oils. These restrictions had caused friction between the two
countries since both are members of ECOWAS, which is founded on principles of free trade.
The other important relationship which Benin has is with its francophone neighbours through
their common history and through membership of the Franc Zone and of UEMOA. A long-term
border dispute with Niger over ownership of islands in the Niger River
was referred to the ICJ in 2002. The Court's ruling was given in July 2005. It awarded 16 of
the 25 disputed islands to Niger, including the largest one, Lete, which was at the heart of
the dispute, and the remaining nine to Benin. Both countries accepted the ruling, and are
implementing the decision.
Outside Africa, France remains its key ally, principal aid partner and significant trade
partner. China has become a major source of imports displacing France in recent years into
second place. French businesses are still strong players in Benin.
Benin's relations with the UK
The UK's relations with Benin are cordial. There is no resident Embassy in that country –
relations are covered by the British High Commission in Abuja. Benin does not have an
Embassy in the UK, covering relations from Paris. The UK does not have a bilateral
assistance programme but contributes to European Development Funds. Commercial and trade
relations are minimal. In 2006 UK imports of goods from Benin were small at £0.29 million,
while exports to Benin were larger at £37.6 million, largely goods for re-export to
Nigeria.
Diplomatic Representation
UK representation in Benin
Benin representation in the UK
TRAVEL
Travel advice: Benin
NHS Scotland's Fit For Travel
Last reviewed: 3 January 2008
